4. Research collaboration agreement with Allergan

On July 24, 2015, the Company entered into a Research Collaboration Agreement (“RCA”) with Naurex Inc., a subsidiary of Allergan plc (“Allergan”), focused on the research and discovery of small molecules that modulate NMDArs. The collaboration is supervised by a Joint Steering Committee (“JSC”) comprising an equal number of representatives from both the Company and Allergan. Under the terms of the agreement, the RCA will terminate upon the earlier of a predetermined anniversary of the RCA or on the date on which Allergan exercises three options to acquire molecules from a pool of eligible compounds. Under the terms of the agreement, Allergan will pay the Company $1.0 million for each option exercised by Allergan. On May 16, 2018, Allergan exercised its option to acquire exclusive rights to develop and commercialize AGN-241751 within a predefined set of indications.

The Company concluded that Allergan meets the definition of a customer, and therefore concluded that the RCA represents a contract with a customer that falls within the scope of ASC 606.

Performance obligations

The Company identified the following promised goods or services within the RCA:

Research Licenses – the Company provides access to exclusive licenses under all of the Company’s NMDAr technologies, during the research term for the sole purpose of conducting research and development activities (the “Research Licenses”). Historically, the Company’s licenses have held no value to the customer on a standalone basis, as the research compounds were in the early discovery phase and required the Company’s expertise for further development. Accordingly, the Research Licenses are not considered distinct.

Research and Development Services – the Company provides research and development services that are performed on behalf of, or with, Allergan (the “Research and Development Services”). As discussed within Research Licenses above, the Company’s licenses have historically held no value without the specialized research and development services. As the Company generally only provides research and development services for internally generated small molecules that modulate NMDArs which require a license to be utilized by a third party, the Research and Development Services are not considered distinct.

Joint Steering Committee – the Company actively participates in a joint steering committee, which allows the Company and its collaboration partner to direct the progression and prioritization of the joint discovery programs. As the JSC would not occur or benefit the customer without the use of the Research Licenses and the related Research and Development Services, and given the Company’s proprietary knowledge of the Research Licenses and the NMDAr technologies, this is not considered distinct.

The Company also evaluated whether the option granted to the customer to acquire additional goods or services represented a material right at contract inception. Upon Allergan’s exercise of one of its options, the Company is obligated to transfer control of all intellectual property relating to the optioned compound to Allergan, after which the Company has no further interest in, or continuing involvement with, such optioned compound. The Company evaluated the customer options for material rights, that is, whether the option was to acquire additional goods or services for free or at a discount, and concluded that the options are priced, at contract inception, at standalone selling price. Consequently, the customer options do not represent a performance obligation at the outset of the arrangement since they are contingent upon the option exercise which is outside of the Company’s control.

The Company has concluded that there is a single combined performance obligation (comprising the Research Licenses, Research and Development Services and participation on the JSC) which is satisfied over time, as the research and development services are performed. The exercise of the option to acquire exclusive rights to develop and commercialize AGN-241751 or any future options exercised are not considered a performance obligation until the time of option exercise.

Transaction price

The RCA includes both fixed and variable consideration. Fixed payments, such as contractually defined fees per full-time employee (“FTE”), are included in the transaction price at contract inception, while variable consideration, such as reimbursement for Research and Development Services, are estimated and then evaluated for constraints upon inception of the contract and evaluated on a quarterly basis thereafter. Research and Development Services are updated for actual invoices. There were no capitalized costs associated with obtaining the contract.

The Company concluded that it will use an input method to measure proportional performance and to calculate the corresponding amount of revenue to recognize. The Company uses fixed FTE efforts and variable out-of-pocket costs as actual costs incurred relative to the annual budget research plan to measure progress towards fulfillment of the performance obligation. An input method of revenue recognition requires management to make estimates of costs to complete the Company’s performance obligations. In making such estimates, significant judgment is required to evaluate assumptions related to cost estimates. The cumulative effect of revisions to estimated costs to complete the Company’s performance obligations will be recorded in the period in which changes are identified and amounts can be reasonably estimated. The Company does not anticipate significant changes as the research plan is reviewed and adjusted annually and approved by the JSC. There are no significant financing components in the contract.

The Company has determined that the option fee is representative of standalone selling price and concluded that it will recognize revenue for the option fee at a point in time, on the date of exercise, due to the significant uncertainty of whether or not Allergan would exercise the option. The Company recognizes the option fee at a point in time because control of the underlying intellectual property transfers to the customer, and the customer is able to use and benefit from the license. The Company has no further rights, interests or remaining performance obligations associated with any optioned compound, once exercised.

During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recorded expenses of $7.3 million and $7.9 million, respectively, for certain development activities in accordance with the terms of the RCA, of which 50% was reimbursed by Allergan. The Company received reimbursements of $3.7 million and $3.9 million during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Such reimbursements were reported within collaboration revenue in the statements of operations. On May 16, 2018, Allergan exercised its option to acquire exclusive rights to develop and commercialize AGN-241751 within a specific set of indications. For the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recognized the $1.0 million non-refundable milestone payment within collaboration revenue in the statements of operations as there were no remaining performance obligations associated with the optioned compound.